


All the Shades of Compassion

by GypsyArt



Category: DCU (Comics), Green Lantern (Comics), Green Lantern - All Media Types, Superman (Comics), Superman - All Media Types
Genre: Darkest Night, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/M, Female Character of Color, Green Lanterns, Indigo Lanterns, Older Woman/Younger Man, Original Character(s), Possibly Unrequited Love, Revenge
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-03-07
Updated: 2019-09-07
Packaged: 2019-11-13 03:06:36
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 7,077
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18023591
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GypsyArt/pseuds/GypsyArt
Summary: Before the Justice League, before the darkest night, before the Indigo Corps, before the Indigo Ring, before she was Indigo Eight, she was Lilah Hyatt.She was an Angel of Death.The most infamous female serial killer to ever come out of the 1870s.And Superman is falling in love with her.How does she get him to understand that the compassion she is able to feel through her ring does not mean she is a good person. That she is not worthy of his love, or even truly capable.Superman/OFC





	1. What do I feel?

**Author's Note:**

> Clark/Superman will not be introduced until chapter three. The first two chapters will be to introduce the OC character, and give a bit of background, but not too much.

  
**Chapter 1:** _What do I feel?_

 

**August 14th, 1873**

 

**Pennsylvania,**

 

**Normal POV:**

 

_Anger?_

 

_Fear?_

 

_Shame?_

 

Her trial, if it could even be called that was short taking barely four days. She was not allowed within the chambers in which her own trial was taking place in, instead being forced to listen to all the ongoing from a adjoining room the size of a closet.

The jude himself, a man who had sworn an oath of imperialism had stated her guilt several times throughout the trial. The prosecutor had painted her as an evil and foul woman who worshiped the devil himself, and her lawyer was even worse bumbling on things completely unrelated to her and her defense. 

So it was to no ones surprise that it took two minutes f0r the jury to come to the conclusion of her guilt. 

Her punishment would be execution by guillotine.

 

_Sadness?_

 

_Regret?_

 

_Maybe some. But not much._

 

Two weeks and one day spanned between the time of her trial and her execution. 

And Lilah Hyatt was not sure what she should feel.

The sound of the executioners heavy boots alert her that her time has come. The guards slide the metal cell open and the executioners towering form walks in dressed all in black, with his hood already tugged over his face hiding everything except his piercing blue eyes.

Lilah doesn't say anything, doesn't so much as put up a fight. It’d been days since they last feed her, and the feelings of hunger are prominent as he pulls her up by her chains and begins to drag her out of her cell and outside the courthouse.

 

_Hunger._

 

Thats a feeling, Lilah thinks as she ducks her head to protect her sensitive eyes from the suns rays that hits fiercely from above them.

_A last meal_. Lilah continues to think, its a pleasant distraction as they walk and the citizens of their small town come into view. Their booing growing louder and louder with every inch closer they come to the wooden platform in the middle of the town square.

 

_Wouldn't that be nice?_

 

_To be get a last meal of your choice._

 

_A small act of kindness knowing that one can not eat in the after life._

 

Lilah finally lifts her head as she is lead up the eight steps of the wooden platform. A large crowd of at least a hundred men and women, and even a few children surround the platform their booing and hate filled words growing louder and louder as she now stands in the middle of the platform. The Executioner stands behind her, and the guillotine a few feet next to them, still bloody from what looked to be a recent execution.

 

_Busy day._

 

Lilah’s thoughts change from food as she raises her head even higher. She refuses to show weakness in front of these people. To allow them to believe their hatred has any effect on her when they simply do not know better.

They do not know of all the good she has done for others.

 

_Pity._

 

She feels pity for the masses standing before her.

 

_But what does she feel for herself?_

 

The mayor walks onto the platform holding up his hand with the bible, and the boos of the crowd slowly begin to dwindle down, until a hush falls over the crowd.

The mayor Thomas Lamont begins flipping through the bible, pausing to look dramatically down onto the crowd. Finally he lifts his right hand to the air before his voice booms out over the crowd as he begins to preach.

 

**_“........And Revelation 21:8says: But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars—they will be consigned to the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death!”_ **

 

The crowd begins to cheer at the wordsof the one time pastor and now mayor. He closes his bible with a barely audible thud, and points an accusatory finger towards Lilah. Her head still remains held high, and she only moves it to hold his gaze with defianceHis own brown eyes narrow in hate, he will relish like no one else at the sight of all light leaving her eyes.

 

“You immoral woman! You woman of sin and damnation! Do you have any last words? Get on your knees and beg for forgiveness. Beg for atonement from all that you have done wrong onto here. And may our father high above show you mercy in the after.”

All eyes turn to Lilah, not that they ever really left. All the men, and woman, and children look onto her expectantly. Waiting for her to ask for their forgiveness. Waiting for her to show remorse of regret of some sort.

But she does not.

 

**“NO!”** Lilah’s voice is hoarse from not having spoken in days, and even though it does not carry the power she wishes it would, she continues on. “I have noting to atone for, I have nothing to ask forgiveness for. I may not be perfect but I do have a heart, and what I have done for people who can not do for themselves I will stand by until my last breath.”

“Very well.” Thomas continues to glare as he nods towards the executioner and takes a few steps back to the edge of the platform.

 

The crowd begins to boo once more, as the executioner takes her by the arm and begins to drag her to the guillotine dropping her to her knees.

Lilah takes a glance at the blade above her hear that glimmers and momentarily blinds her as the suns rays hits it, before with surprisingly gentle fingers the Executioner takes hold of her neck with one hand as he lifts the lunette up with the other hand and sets her neck in the hole letting the lunette fall down and secure her neck.

Now Lilah’s hazel eyes are staring directly into a woven wicker basket stained with fresh blood, and for the first time since her trail she feels something.

For the first time maybe since she was a child.

The crowds boos turn into cheers and applause as the Executioner steps back and begins to pull at the rope at the side of the guillotine but the only sound echoing in Lilah’s mind is that of the blade scarping the inner sides of the guillotine.

Tears begin to dampen the corners of her closed eyes, and she stills her breathing, as her heart swells.

Lilah feels no hatred towards the people in the crowd who cheer for her death.

She feels no ill will the ones who’s decision has damned her.

She simply resigns herself to her fate.

If this is how she must go so be it.

The Executioner pulls once more at the ropes of the guillotine and the sharp silver blade begins to fall down, but just as the blade touches her neck and begins to tear at skin a bright flash of purple light burst blinding almost all, followed by a green light that turns into a large claw grabbing at the blade and preventing it from completely slicing through Lilah’s neck.

The crowds cheers of excitement stop, and at the sight of the two newcomers, the towns people began to scream of horror, and run away trampling atop of one another. The Executioner quickly jumps off to make a get away as the female of the two approached him, and Thomas Lamont follows jumping off the platform only to be pushed and trampled over.

Lilah tries to look up to see what was causing such an extreme reaction from all the people around her, but as she tries she feels nothing but a wave of pulsating pain from the top of her neck, all the way down her spine.

Her tears began to flow more freely now as she hears the footsteps of the people who’d frightened the townspeople away approach her, and stand in front of of her. The man crouches down and gently touches the right side of Lilah’s face.

 

“Do not fear child.”

With hesitation Lilah opens her eyes, and although her vision is blurred there is no doubt in her mind that she is now staring at the strangest man she has ever seen in her life. His skin is pink and covered completely in striated lines. His eyes were glowing a bright green, very much identical in color to the strange clothing he was wearing.

 

Whimpering Lilah strains her head just enough to be able to see the woman standing next to him. She stands at a tremendous height leaning against a staff as she looks down impassively with completely black eyes. Her skin is also pink, with black hair braided back in simple cornrows. But what really gets Lilah is how scantily clad the other woman is looking to be just in her underwear, she blushes and looks back down to the man still touching her cheek.

 

“W-Who a-are y-you?”

  
  
“I am Abin-Sur of the Green Lanterns and and this is Indigo One.” His voice carried a certain gentleness to it, as if he knows he scares her. “We are here because you are capable of feeling great compassion.”

 

“W-hat does that mean.”

 

“You will soon find out. But please do not fear us.” Abin-Sur stands up and nods to Indigo One. She steps forwards and lightly touched the other woman with her finger tip, causing her to fall unconscious.

 

Once she does so, Abin-Sur moves to pick her up with care, and with a bright flash of purple light from her staff Indigo One once again opens another portal allowing them to walk through and disappear once more.

No traces of their presence was left behind.

 

Thomas Lamont is the only remaining witness to the entire exchange. He tightly holds his bible to his chest as he repeats the same prayer over and over again like a broken record.

 

 


	2. Compassion

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lilah receives her Indigo Ring

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter ended up being a bit longer than expected, but its simply an introduction of the Indigo Tribe and their home.

**Chapter 2:** _Compassion_

**August 17th, 1873**

**Nok**

**Normal POV:**

  
“Is she dead?”

O’dori catches Indigo One by surprise as she exits the private chambers Abin-Sur where their newest guest has been since she has arrived.

 

“I do not believe so.” Indigo One looks down as she speaks to the other woman. O’dori stands at most 4feet 1inches with green and gold skin, and short pale blonde hair. She was from a race of aliens known as the Trefane, and was brought to them by Abin-Sur after she had poisoned the springs in her home planet and killed several thousand people.

 

“But she has not moved in days.”

“Abin-Sur says this species is much weaker than most. They are just starting to evolve and their biology is still in its infancy."

“What do they call them?”

“Humans.”

“HuAMens.” O’dori sounds out the name with a child like giddiness as she follows Indigo One, down a random path. “How fascinating.”

“I suppose.”

“What were her crimes?”Indigo One shrugs. She does not understand the reason for their newest recruit, but Abin-Sur was insistent in reaching her.

“I supposed the same as yours and mines.”

“You do not like her?”

Kreaven flies over the two with the use of his massive gold wings and the two pause to watch. “No. I feel compassion for her.”

**~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~**

 

Lilah stirs in her sleep, and the closer she gets to wakefulness the more her head pounds with images of her own execution, and pink odly dressed alien like creatures. She half expects to wake back in her cell, and for everything else she had seen being the figment of an over active imagination.

But she’s never had one of those before.

And what ever she is laying on top of is much too soft to have been the dirty mattress in her prison cell.

And the voices that echoes throughout the room were not English or any other language she has ever heard before. Finally resigning herself she opens her eyes, and raises up her body readying herself to experience some sort of pain or soreness, but she felt wonderful. More rested than she had ever felt in her entire life.

 

“Lilah Hyatt of Earth.”

Lilah jumps and whips her entire body to the right. Standing their is the same pink skinned man with green clothes she remembers having been there during her execution. But instead of an inappropriately dressed woman standing next to him was another scantily dressed short man with grey skin covered in purple markings.

“Do you remember me?”

“V-vaguely.”

“I am Abin-Sur.” Abin-Sur reintroduces himself as he walks closer to her, but with each step closer he takes, she scoots away to the opposite side, and when he notices that he stops. “This is Natromo.”

“W-where am I?”

“You are on the planet known as Nok.”

“T-this can not be real.” Lilah begins shaking as she scoots herself all the way to the edge of the bed she is on. Looking around wildly for any exit, and seeing a door behind her. “This can not be real.”

 

“Please let me explain.” Abin-Sur begins as he once again starts to approach her. “You are here to serve a greater purpose than you ever could on earth.”

“No!” Lilah throws herself off the bed, and scrambling up she makes a run for the door, throwing it open with more force than she knew she had. As she runs off she wonders why they do not follow her or stop her with the same green light, but does not put much more thought into it.

 

Stopping to catch her breath Lilah begin to look around her surroundings for any hiding places. But she is surrounded by complete darkness, the sky above her is an inky black, the ground below her was made completely of stone, and there was few oddly shaped trees and bushes, but no places to hide.

 

Continuing to walk through almost complete darkness she looks around for something familiar, for something safe. Out of nowhere an eagle the size of a grown man with large gold wings flies down towards her knocking her down on her back. Standing over her it begins to screech out loud, and in seconds there are six more people floating above her.

 

Lilah recognizes only three as she scoots up into a sitting position, and away from the bird man.

 

“Wh-what do you people want from me?!”

 

The pink skinned woman from her execution is the one to step forward. She holds out her fist and opens it to show a simple indigo ring with a thick band laying in her palm. She begins to speak but it is in an alien language which Lilah does not bother to try and understand, but one word catches her ear.

‘Nok.’

Abin-Sur steps forward next. “We are offering you to be a part of something much greater than yourself. We are offering you a second chance.”

 

“Why-why me?”

 

“Your heart has great capacity to accept compassion.”

 

_'You do not have a heart’_

 

A familiar voice echoes throughout Lilah’s mind.

 

“What if I say no?”

 

“That was to be expected.”

 

Strong muscular arms quickly grab Lilah from behind holding her tightly against their chest, and she kicks, and screams, and bites, but no matter what he does not let go. The grip around Lilah’s waist only tightens as Indigo One steps up firmly grabbing her right hand and sliding it onto her middle finger.

  
Once the ring was on her finger Indigo One steps back and the person holding Lilah lets go, and allows her to fall onto the ground with a loud thud.

Blinding Indigo light flashes behind Lilah’s eyelid. The light is bright, and hot, and it feels as if it is consuming her from the inside out. As if it is trying to burn her alive.

Lilah withers on the ground, as she screams and claws at her body.

 

“Do not fight it Lilah. Fighting it will only make it worse. Accept the Indigo light, accept compassion. Open your heart to compassion.” Abin-Sur kneels down before her and speaks softly. He is only sure that she hears his words because both her screaming and withering begin to slowly calm.

 

Her back begins to arch and she begins to whimper. Lilah tries to do as Abin-Sur says, anything to stop the burning and the pain. She tries to not fight the light as much as her instincts tell her to. She tries to accept it, let it wash over her, and as she does, her heart begins to pound erradictly. So loud she swears for a moment that it burst her ear drums, but still she continues to accept the light, and she can feel it. Feel the light pour into her heart and fill it to the brim with compassion.

 

Lilah lets out a high pitched and agonizing cry, and Abin-Sur wraps his arms around her knowing that it is not from fighting the light but from accepting compassion. She holds on tightly to him, burying her face in his chest and simply cries.

 

She cries because she feels something for the first time in a long time.

 

She cries because she understands all the wrong she has done.

 

She cries because of all the hurt she has experienced.

 

She cries because of all the people she has hurt.

 

And soon she is crying simply because.

 

“Have you finally accepted compassion?”

 

“I-I have.” Lilah pulls back and speaks through tears and snot.

 

_“.................I feel compassion.................I feel compassion............I feel compassion...............I feel compassion..................I feel compassion...........I feel compassion............I compassion...........I feel compassion...........”_

 

**~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~**

**August 30th, 1873**

**Normal POV:**

 

“So why is Abin-Sur’s ring green?” Lilah ask as she stares down at her own ring.

 

It had taken her several days before she could continue functioning like she use to, or come close to it anyways, she doesn't believe she will ever be the same person she was before the Indigo Ring again. It has filled her with such an overwhelming sense of compassion for people, for animals, for life itself.

 

There’s so much of it just brewing inside of her that she often finds herself becoming dizzy from it.

 

“Because he is a Green Lantern. As we are powered by the Indigo Light of Compassion, he is powered by the Green Light of Will.” Munk or Indigo Two as he is often referred to as explains to Lilah in the most simplest of terms.

 

“Are there other colors?” She continues to ask questions as they walk to the training grounds. Munk the best fighter of their tribe has been put in charge of her training, and just by the looks of him she can easily understand why. He stands at about 5foot 8inches with rose colored skin, and white eyes. He is wearing a bright yellow spiked collar with a piece of triangular cloth attached to it which covers his chest and a matching yellow lioncloth. On top of his bald head is the Indigo tribe symbol; An upside down V, a right side up V, and in the middle a large circle.

 

Lilah touches her forehead where the same symbol now rests.

 

“That is what the prophecy suggests. That there is an entire spectrum of colors.”

 

“The Prophecy?”“That is for another day.” Munk Spreads out his arms as they reach a large three story colosseum made of white stone. He begins to walk in and Lilah is taken aback by the sheer size of it as her toes sink into the black sand that covers the entire floor of the colosseum. “Today we train.”

 

Munk’s ring glows and suddenly a tall lavender staff with a circular top that glowed a white light appears in his hand, and he falls into a fighting stance.

 

“I do not know how to fight.”

 

“That is why you are here to learn.” Munk lunges at Lilah, using his staff in a bat like fashion in order to hit her square in the chest and send her flying.

 

“Aha!” She cries out in pain as she lands several feet away from his. “That hurt!”

 

“You were meant to use the ring in order to deflect my staff.”

 

“I told you I do not know how to use this ring. I do not know how to fight.” As she stands she wants nothing more than to feel anger and hatred towards the man in front of her, but she can not. All she feels for the man before her is compassion. He is helping her, training her, he deserves her compassion.

 

“You power your ring through compassion. Focus on the feeling of compassion and its energy. And then release it from your ring.” Once he is done explaining he runs at her once more, and as much as she tries, he manages to land another solid hit in her chest sending her flying.

 

“Agahg! I believe my ring is broken.”

 

“The ring is not broken. You simply need to feel more compassion.” Munk reaches out to held Lilah to her feet.

 

“Feel it so deeply that it hurts. Again?”

 

With much hesitance, Lilah nods. “Again.”

  
Munk takes several steps back and tightens his grip as he once more falls into a fighting stance ready to attack.

 

Lilah brings her right hand up and tightens her right fist. She closes her eyes and tries to grasp onto the feeling of compassion she felt when the ring was first put on her finger. Holds onto the intense feeling of the light, of compassion, of her tears.

 

Munk begins to run towards her his staff high above his head, and as he does Lilah’s eyes flash open her usual hazel eyes are now glowing purple. “May compassion be with you!” She doesn't know where the words come from, but they feel right as an intense beam of purple light shoots from her ring and blast Munk all the way back into on of the walls of the colosseum.

 

“I-I did that.”

 

“Yes. Yes you did.” Munk says as he struggles to get up.

 

“I-I apologize! I didn't mean t-”

 

“It is fine. This is your training.” Munk tells her reassuringly as he stands up towering over her. “Again.”

 

“Again.”

 

Munk and Lilah put distance between themselves as Lilah begins to power her ring, Munk powers his staff, the two clash in a bright indigo light of compassion that fills the entire stadium.

 

What a wonderful thing.

 

Lilah thinks as the light dims around them.

 

So muh compassion.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you all enjoyed. Please leave a like and a review!
> 
> Superman will officially be introduced in the next chapter.


	3. After the Darkest Night

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Superman's in this one!

**Chapter 3:After the Darkest Night**

**November 19th, 1873**

**Nok**

**Normal POV:**

**Flash Back**

 

With a loud gasps Lilah shot up from the makeshift bed made of feathers, letting out a loud cry as she clutched the area over her chest where her heart was. In her old life she rarely ever dreamed, probably because sleep was always difficult to come to her. In her new life sleep was easy to come by, but difficult to stay in. She was haunted every night by the things she has done. By the wrongs she has committed, the wrongs she wishes she could forget.

It has been three months, and she has changed so much.

She was no longer the same woman who had stood at deaths doorsteps.

Abin-Sur did not lie when he said he had come to give her a second chance.

With a sleepy yawn Lilah lifts herself up from the makeshift bed and exits the small cave like room that was given to her as her own. Letting the Indigo light consume her she flew up into the dark sky of Nok. Flying was her favorite thing about being apart of the Indigo Tribe. It was the most freeing and exhilarating thing about her new life, and it allowed for her to better learn about her new home. Unlike earth it was made completely of stone, and had no sun but three humungous moons, which made it quite difficult to know what time of day it was.

“When did you get back?” Lilah lands on a flat stone platform, and walks to sit next to the man dressed all in green.

“A few minutes ago.”

“Where did you go?” She was always curious whenever he disappeared and it wasn’t to retrieve a new member.

“I returned to Oa.”  
  
“The home of the Green Lanterns.” Lilah quickly says. She had learned so much in her short time on Nok, and there was so much she more she wanted to learn, that she wanted to see. In her old life she had never been curious or adventurous, but now she was. She wanted to see, and know, and spread her compasion.  
  
“Yes.”

“You look troubled.”  
“It is nothing to be concerned for child.”  
  
Lilah wanted to tell him that she wasn't a child. That she was twenty-four, and has been raising herself since she was eleven, but refrains from doing so. He has such caring and concerned green eyes that she can not help but accept his words. “Is it about the prophecy?”

“The Darkest Night.”  
  
“The one no one seemed to want to speak of.”

 

_“A face of metal and flesh shall speak of the secrets of the fifty-two. Fear will rise. Willpower will gather. And a wave of light will unleash the truth behind the power of the ring.”_

 

“What does that mean.”  
  
“The end of our universe.”

“How do we keep it from happening?  
  
“We-” Abin-Sur starts, but pauses. He thought that creating the Indigo Tribe was a step forward, that it was a start to preventing the prophecy, but he was now starting to doubt himself. What if the Guardians were right an the prophecy was simply nonsense or worse what if he was just aiding in it.

“Abin-Sur?”

“We will know when the time comes.”

Lilah is unsatisfied by the answer but simply nods as the both look onto the moon directly shining in front f them.

“When this war is over, and if we survive.......” Lilah begins now looking down at her ring that fit snugly around her middle finger. “......What will become of us?”

 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

**January 22nd, 2002**

**Earth**

**Normal Pov:**

**Present Day:**

 

“Lilah.............”

 _“........_ _Lilah......”_

 _“........_ _Lilah......”_

 _“........_ _Lilah......”_

 _“........_ _Lilah......!”_

 

“Hmm..........” Lilah blinks several times before turning her gaze away from the night sky to look at the red and blue clad man hovering near her “Oh, Hello Superman. Did you take care of those criminals.”

“Yes, I turned them over to the local police station.”

“That’s good.”

“What were you thinking about?”

“The prophecy has ended.” Superman takes a seat next to Lilah on the edge of the random building she was already sitting on, as she turns her hazel eyes back up to the moon above them. Its nowhere as big as the one on Nok. “The darkest night came, and we overcame it.”

“You should be proud. You helped save the world and millions of people.”  
  
“I guess I did.”

“You should be happier.”  
  
“It is not that I’m not happy......it simply now that the Darkest Night has come and gone. I have no purpose left.” Lilah is now looking at Superman, and he can see something else other than her usual indifference. “Abin-Surand Natromo formed the Indigo Tribe specifically for fighting that threat, I’ve lived and trained for over a hundred years waiting for it. Now I do not know what to do.”  
  
“You can do whatever you want to do. Stay with the Justice League, or quite and live as a normal human on earth.”  
  
“I do not believe the members of the Justice League like me very much, and as for returning to life on earth, it has been so long, and soo much has changed. I do not believe I belong here any longer.”

Superman looks down at his lap, he can feel his cheeks start to redden just a bit, but blames it on unrelenting wind hitting his face. “The Justice League has trouble trusting outsiders.....But I like you.”

“Thank you Superman. I also feel compassion towards you.”  
  
“Do you feel anything else?”  
  
“What do you mean?”  
  
“You always say you feel compassion. Do you feel anything else?” Superman’s blue eyes are now peering at her with a win of frustration.

“To be able to bare the full weight of the Indigo ring you must be free of all other emotion except compassion. Although when we are in contact with other rings we are able to feel those feelings. When we are near the green lantern ring we feel will, and when near the blue we feel hope......”  
  
“And when you’re near the pink ring?”  
  
“I would feel love.”

 

_‘Would you feel it for me?’_

 

Superman shakes the thought away as he looks below them. Its still early, only ten o’clock and Metropolis’s streets are flooded with people eager to have a good time and enjoy their weekend.

“Have you ever been in love?”  
  
“No. I do not believe so.” Lilah hums. Its been so many years since she was last on earth, since she was last truly human, that at times its hard remembering her life before the Indigo Tribe. Not that there was much to remember. “But you have.”  
  
Superman freezes, than nods. He found there was some truth about time, and healing. “Yes. Her name was Lois, and she was my first love.”

Lilah reaches over and places a slender hand on top of Superman’s. He’s a bit surprised, as he has learned she is not the type for physical affection, but says nothing as the both stare down onto the busy street.


	4. Compassion is not Love

**Chapter 4:** _Compassion is not Love_

**June 10th, 2001**   
****

**Earth**   
****

**Normal POV:**   
****

**Flash Back:**   
****

 

Superman had meet Lilah in the midst of the Blackest Night, but she doesn't know her as Lilah until several months later. Just as Hal Jordan had disappeared in a bright purple light the dead had begun to rise around, all over the world terrorizing everything and everyone around them. He had quickly flown into the fray of it all trying to fight off the undead masses, but nothing he did seemed to have any affect on them.

But Superman persisted in his fighting and making sure all civilians were out of harms way. Until she showed up.

_Lois Lane._

A far cry from the woman he loved.

From the woman who haunted his every waking thought.

From the woman he was forced to burry over a year ago, after he wasn't able to save her.

“Lois.” Superman whispered her name as if it were a prayer as he stood in front of her with an uncertainty that was usually reserved for Clark Kent. “Lois......”

Lois lifted her right arm and with one swing she sent Superman flying with a force that she had not possessed when she was living. “Lois please........” Superman pleaded as he sat from the rubble, and Lois looked down at him with dead unmoving eyes, and a cruel smile. “Louis please, I’m sorry. I’m soo sorry, but I cant fight you. I-”

Lois lifts her right hand and this time a dark energy leaves from the black ring on her finger sending Superman flying back once more.

“Lois.....” Superman coughs out, shakily trying to stand upright on two feet. He wouldn’t fight her. He couldn't.

Once again Lois raises her hand and Superman resigns himself to his fate. Whatever happened to him at her hands, he deserved. He waited for another dark energy blast, but instead a bright purple light engulfed Louis, much like the light that had taken Hal away.

Turning around Superman looks above him to see a woman. She was tan. tall and lean with curly brown hair in a mohawk. She was dressed in a purple bandeau top and matching short skirt that was torn on both sides. Her forehead and arms where covered in tribal markings, and in her right hand was a purple ring and long wooden staff.

Once the light had throughly encompassed Lois the black ring on her finger flew to the sky and exploded into black dust. Lois’s body instantly went limp and fell to the ground with a thud.

“Lois.” Superman reached her just as she fell, but she was nothing more than a rotting corpse again. “Lois....” Tears started to prick the corners of his eyes, losing her a second time hurt just as much as the first.

“Nok.”

Superman looks up from where he was caressing Louis’s dry dark hair, to see the unknown woman looking down at him with quizzed hazel eyes with a purple ring around it.

“Nok.”

“Who are you?”  
  
“I am Indigo Eight of the Indigo Tribe.”

“Do you know what’s going on? Why are all the dead rising?”

“The prophecy has come to light.” Indigo Eight frowns looking over Superman’s head to see a mass of undead black lanterns making their way towards them. “The Darkest Night is here, and we must fight to protect our universe.”

Superman hesitates for only a second, as he looks up at her outstretched hand, before taking it and standing up. For a second he freezes as he feels an overwhelming sense of an emotion that he could not quite place his finger on.

“Are you okay?”

“Yes.” Superman pulls his hand from hers, as he rubs his head. From his peripheral vision he could now sees the mass of undead headed for them. “How do we stop them?”

In the Darkest Night Superman and Indigo Eight find allies in one another. They fight back to back and side to side, warding off hordes of zombies from completely taking over Metropolis and looking out for one anothers backs.

All the way until Indigo Eight takes a nasty hit meant for Superman that splits her sides open, and causes her to start bleeding at an alarming rate.

“Why would you do that.” Superman can not help his anger as he picks her up in his arms and out of the way from a zombie that was jumping mid air for her. Concentrating the heat energy of his eyes, he sends them flying black, giving him enough time to put pressure on her side to stop the bleeding, but not enough to bruise her any further.

“I could’ve taken that hit.”

“I-I did it........Compassion..........”

Indigo Eight falls unconscious.

When she wakes up it is in a strange spaceship, and the darkest night is over.

By her bedside Indigo One and Superman are having a heated discussion pertaining to her.

 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

**February, 2nd, 2002**

**Earth**

**Normal Pov:**

**Present Day**

 

Superman is the only Superhero of Metropolis.

Yes, there are several hundred of other heroes around the world, not even including the Justice League, but Superman was the superhero of Metropolis. Like Gotham was Batman’s territory, Metropolis was his, and he single handedly protected his city and its people on a day to day bases. 

And thats the way he liked it. 

But sometimes a certain Indigo Tribe member would fly down from the Watch Tower, and join him during his nightly patrols, and it made him believe that he wouldn't mind having a more permanent partner. That he wouldn't mind sharing his city with someone else.

They fought well together side by side, and the people of the city seemed to like her, if not simply fascinated by her, and her appearance. 

So would it be such a bad thing if she were to become a more permanent fixture in Metropolis?

“A blanket?” Lilah looks a bit confused as Superman wraps a brown knit blanket around her shoulders, and hands her a foam cup filled with hot chocolate. 

“You looked cold.” Superman sounds a bit sheepish. Lilah was sitting atop of a build-bored with her long bare legs dangling over it, and Superman remained floating next to her with his own foam cup of hot chocolate. 

“Thank you. It doesn't snow on Nok.” Lilah says as she pulls the blanket closer to her body, and over her Indigo Tribe uniform, which was not meant for the cold weather that she was finding a bit hard to get use to again.

“Have you decided?”

“Decided?”  
  
“Will you stay with the Justice League or become a civilian.......or go back to Nok?”  
  
“I-I miss.......I feel odd being away from Nok and back on earth after so long. But I will stay with the Justice League a bit longer. I believe I can do much good. I want to do good.”

Superman let out an internal sigh of relief. She had been indecisive all the times he had asked herbefore as to whether or not that she would stay.

“I’m happy your staying.”

“Thank you.”

The two sit in silence for a moment. Lilah watching the people below her with curiosity as she gulps her hot chocolate not minding how it burned the inside of her mouth, and Superman with his eyes closed but ears wide open listening out for any potential trouble.

But crime was always slow around this time of year.

“Have you ever taken the ring off?”  
  
“Not since it was placed on my finger by Indigo One over a hundred years ago.”  
  
“Have you ever thought of taking it off?”

“Why would I want to?”

“The Green Lanterns take their’s off.” That was a lie, Superman realizes as soon as the words leave his mouth. He has no memories of any of the Green Lantern he knows going without their ring whether on duty or in their civilian life, the rings were always on their fingers.

“The Indigo ring is much different from that of the Green ring.”

“How?”

“It just is.” Lilah puts the cup down next to her and brings her ring finger close to her chest.She doesn't know how to explain it. The only way to truly know how an Indigo ring works is to wear one, and once you have it wether by choice or force you never want to let it go.

Superman flies so he’s hovering directly in front of Lilah and takes her hand with the Indigo ring on it.

“I know.” At her confused look Superman continues on “..........After the Darkest Night, when you first came back wanting to stay, we had a meeting and Hal told us about how the Indigo Tribe is different from the rest of the Lantern Corps. He said that the Indigo Ring is almost like a parasite that laches onto its host and makes them feel nothing, but compassion.”

“Is that all he told you.” Lilah can feel herself shaking slightly and she knows it is due to more than the cold and snow.

“Yes.”  
  
“Then he did not tell you everything.”

“Will you tell me?”

Lilah looks away. “I’m sorry.”

“Lilah.”  
  
“You will hate me.”

Superman reaches up with both hands to take hold Lilah’s cheeks and forces her to look at him, his blue eyes piercing into her hazel eyes.

“I do not want you to hate me Superman.”

“Your the most caring person I’ve ever meet Lilah, there’s nothing you could have done for me to hate you.”

“I-I.....” Lilah stutters out visibly becoming distressed as she feels something pushing at the veil of compassion that had encompassed her heart preventing her from feeling anything else.

“Lilah.....” Superman can see that she was visibly distressed, but was unsure what to do. “Its okay Lilah. Just tell me.”  
  
“I k-”

Before Lilah could confess everything Superman instantly lets go, and floats away causing her confusion until she hears someone calling out to her.

“Indigo Eight.”

Looking up, the both see Simon Baz in his full Green Lantern uniform flying their way.

 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

**February, 2nd, 2002**

**Watch Tower**

**Normal Pov:**

 

“You need to stop going to Metropolis. To stop going on patrol with Superman.” The Green Lanterns of Earth had regarded Lilah with great suspicion when she had returned back to Earth after the Darkest Night. Yes she was an allay that had fought on their side, and yes she was just as human as the rest of theGreen Lanterns in their sector (although her not aging in over one hundred years caused them to be perplexed), but the Guardians of Oa had told them of the dark secret of the Indigo Tribe, and that caused them to be wary of her.

And while Hal Jordan had his concerns he believed in giving her a chance, and managed to convince everyone to give her a chance.

And that was agreed upon with the addition of Simon Baz, becoming basically her babysitter.

Making sure she didn't fall out of line, and that she made her curfew at the Watch Tower where she had taken residence.  
  
“Did I do something wrong?” Lilah asks stopping in front of her bedroom door. And while she was staring at the masked man in front of her intently her mind was still on the blue and red clad superhero of metropolis.

“Not per say......” Simon Baz sighed deeply. This was not the sort of conversation he wanted to be having, but it was becoming clear to the rest of the Justice League that Superman was developing feelings for their newest member, and the rest of the Lanterns knew that the relationship would not work. The final straw seemed to come for the rest of them when several pictures of Superman and Lilah came with headlines asking if they were the latest power couple.“........Its just......its just that he has feelings for you.”  
  
“But I have feelings for him as well. I feel compassion towards him.”

Simon Baz could feel his right eyebrow twitch. Out of all the things she did, talking about her compassion irritated him the most. “His feelings for you aren't compassion. He’s falling in love with you. Hell he probably’s already in love with you!”

“Love is not a bad thing.” Lilah became a bit choked up. _‘He loved me?’_  
  
“Its not. But do you feel the same way?”  
  
“I only feel compassion.”

“Exactly! And the fact that you’re incapable of loving him will only hurt him more.”

“I don't want to hurt Superman. He is a friend.”  
  
“Then you need to to keep your distance from him.” Simon Baz could see how her expression visibly dropped and he almost felt bad. This wasn't even any of his business. “Trust me its for the best.”

**Author's Note:**

> 1) I don't think there are enough Superman or Clark Kent OC Fanfics  
> 2) I've been thinking of doing a serious of collections of Superman with females from the various lantern corps.  
> 3) Please review and tell me what you think about 1 and 2


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